Ebrose
Maester Ebrose was filled with wonder, excitement, dread and confusion. He'd seen the entire history of the world unfold – and he was wrong. It really was thousands of years longer than the finest scholars at the Citadel had determined. He began to second-guess everything he'd ever learned: he knew the Long Night was real, he knew dragons were real, he'd seen giants and, now, the Children of the Forest and the legend of Garth Greenhand. He'd even learned that gods were real, and that they could influence people through time itself. He was terrified at what he might learn next.
The green woman sat in the web of white roots that resembled a chair, resting her head alongside the skull woven into it. The room was understandably concerned at her last admission: that the Raven had brought them here in search of a new host, but not for him. Part of him felt profound disappointment that he wouldn't gain the sight. The rest of him was filled with dread. The green woman was answering their questions, certainly, but he felt that she was intentionally omitting information. His stomach sank as he came to the conclusion that she wasn't there to inform them of the truth. She was stalling for time.
"Where is the dragon?" he suddenly blurted out. The green woman looked at him and frowned.
"Clearing the way for us," she answered. "We won't be staying here much longer."
"Where will we go?" Ranger Beck demanded, furrowing his brow.
"Further north," she replied before standing in the chair. "But not all of you need go. Only one of you, to be honest," she added, staring at Doctor Stone. "The rest of you will be forced to choose."
"Choose what?" Ebrose asked, standing and brushing the dirt from his coat. The green woman looked at him. She opened her mouth to speak, but instead her body jerked upright, frozen in a rigid stance as her eyes rolled back in her head. She gasped for air, exhaling gently and returning to a normal posture. Ebrose had seen this before. He had returned.
"There's no more time," she suddenly said in the telltale whispered tone of the Raven. "They're here."
Before they could react, they heard the shrieking echo throughout the cave, the unmistakable rasping of the dead. The black brothers shot to their feet, drawing their swords and facing the entrance. The rest of the southern soldiers also rose, bringing up their weapons. Doctor Stone and Turk curled next to each other against the roots of the tree. The faint light that reflected from the entrance of the cave down the tunnel became muffled and blurred. Something was moving.
That something was a line of corpses. They rushed into the cave, screaming and howling. Ebrose covered his ears in terror as Beck and Lance began tearing into them with their blades, sending bones and debris scattering across the room. The southern soldiers backed themselves into a semi-circle around the civilians, their weapons ready in case the Night's Watchmen failed to keep the dead back. The green woman, now the Raven, jumped from the roots and grasped Doctor Stone by the arm.
"Come with me," they urged. Lisa jumped up and followed without thinking. Turk joined them and Ebrose, feeling no choice, also fell back. They ran down a long hallway, illuminated by a single opening in the roof where it had collapsed. Gunfire erupted from behind them, along with shouting and hollering. The Raven scrambled up the rocks, turning back and reaching down to pull Doctor Stone onto the surface. By the time Maester Ebrose managed to make it to the top with Turk's assistance, the two females were sprinting towards the trees. Though old and tired, Ebrose was determined to survive. He, too, ran as quickly as he was able, ignoring the growing pains in his joints and chest as he did. He turned back once to see the great tree now hundreds of yards in the distance. On the low rise where the tree stood, six figures on horseback stood silently, motionlessly, watching them depart.
They stopped at a stream, the green woman panting. Though still appearing somewhat youthful, it was clear that she was ancient and not accustomed to this much physical exertion. Ebrose could commiserate. Turk and Lisa looked much more comfortable with the pace, however. He was jealous. Of all the times in the history of the world to be an excellent runner, the Long Night ranked at the top.
"They'll be following," the Raven said through the child. "I'll bring you some help." With that, the Raven seemed to leave the green woman, returning her consciousness back to her body. She reached out and grasped Ebrose by the arm. He looked at her and saw, for the first time, fear.
"You're the last one, aren't you?" he managed between breaths. She nodded gently. "I'm sorry," was all he managed to add.
"Don't be," she answered, controlling her breathing. "We all have a role to play. He's shown me."
Before he could ask what she meant, he heard the unmistakable cry of a dragon above. The four of them raised their eyes to the sky to see the majestic creature born of magic descend to the ground nearby. Ebrose watched as it gracefully lowered its body and wings, splaying itself and turning its long neck to peer at them intently. Lisa and Turk looked terrified, but he knew the beast meant them no harm. The child approached it quickly, climbing onto the wing and scurrying up onto its back.
"Quickly," she urged, reaching her hand out. Turk and Lisa looked at her as if she was insane. "Quickly!" she repeated, more urgently. Ebrose stepped forward and reached out, taking her hand. He found footing on a protruding spike from the scales of the wing, using the leverage from the child to push himself up onto the back. He then reached out to assist Lisa and Turk in turn, until the four of them were ready to fly. As they took off, they held on for dear life.
The cold wind was biting as they cut through the clouds. With each mighty flap of the dragon's wings, he felt his stomach rise and fall. It was unlike any experience he could imagine. The forest raced by underneath, each tree no larger than a small dot. He gripped the dragon tightly, as did his companions. He glanced at the sun and calculated that they were traveling north. He didn't ask where or why to the child. He trusted the Raven without question by now. They flew for over an hour before the child reached up and pointed to a mountain in the distance. Around it, a massive swirling cloud blocked his vision. The dragon was speeding straight towards it.
When they couldn't approach any closer to the storm, the dragon descended to the ground and, as gently as it could, landed. It lowered its wings again and allowed the passengers to disembark. Ebrose slipped and fell into the snow, but was fortunately unharmed. Turk helped him to his feet and brushed the snow from his coat. Ebrose offered his gratitude. The child leapt last, landing gingerly in the snow as if it required no effort. She then gently caressed the dragon and watched as it began walking across the land towards the gray fog. She turned and looked at them without speaking, then began following the dragon. They did the same.
It was at that moment that the realization of where he was dawned on him. This was the very same place that the Lord Commander had warned him about – the place of no return. He felt his anxiety rise as a pit grew in his stomach. The dragon moved forward through the frigid wind unfazed. The child followed, equally determined. He locked his arm with Doctor Stone and pushed forward together with her, with Turk bringing up the rear. They trudged through the snow, pushing against the wind until they reached a small rise and the fog seemed to lift.
Ahead, a circular clearing greeted them, with an icy tower built into the stones beyond it. The fabled lost city was, as Lagberius had told him, more of a temple than a city. The ice was a deep blue, with black rocks surrounding it. Through the main entrance, he could make out the outline of a tree similar to the one they'd just left at the cave. In front of it, a number of large, gray stones stood vigil. He gasped as he recognized this place from his vision – where the silver-haired lady had become the Night Queen. The dragon approached the stones and leered inside the cave. The child approached, resting her hand on the wing.
Slowly, a figure emerged from the darkened entrance. A flowing cape billowed in the wind behind them, and a bright, red light glimmered from the massive rubied choker wrapped around their neck. They stopped in front of the doorway and lowered their hood, revealing a young woman with shortly cropped brown hair and glowing blue eyes. The maester found it hard to breath simply by looking at her. The child trembled. Lisa began to dry heave as Turk supported her.
"No," Lisa managed in between heaves. "No, no, no..."
"Yes," the figure answered, her voice distinctly feminine and blood-curdling. Ebrose felt every inch of his skin recoil with goosebumps. The entirety of his being told him to run from her, but he found himself unable to move. The dragon hissed.
"What have you done?" Ebrose shouted at the child. The woman turned back and looked at him, remorse and pain written on her face, before turning back to the now-approaching figure.
"We are concluding this saga," she answered. She reached into the vined wrappings around her slim torso and revealed a small, black knife. It was jagged and rough. Ebrose identified it as obsidian immediately. The figure began to walk towards the tree. The child turned to Lisa and approached her, reaching out with the blade. "Take this," she commanded.
Lisa did as she was told, releasing her hold on Turk and grasping the small blade carefully. She looked up at the child and then to the Night Queen, now standing in front of the ancient tree. The Queen smirked at them, unflinching in the face of a weapon capable of destroying her with a single thrust. The child then went rigid as the Raven once again took control of her. As her body relaxed and her eyes returned, the Raven turned towards the Queen and walked into the circle of stones until only a few feet separated them.
"You made it," the Queen observed.
"Yes," the Raven replied. "Are you prepared?" The Queen smiled and nodded.
"It's time for me to go, big brother," she concluded, looking up at Lisa. "I hope you're right about this."
"I am," the Raven replied simply, turning to Lisa. "Come," he urged. "You must fulfil your role in all this."
Lisa looked over at Turk, who trembled slightly and nodded. She took a few steps forward, each one more shakily than the last, until she stood between the two figures, only inches away from the Night Queen. The black dagger shook violently in her hand as she trembled in fear.
"Go on," the Queen urged, opening her cloak and revealing the icy, brown leather armor underneath. Lisa found herself staring at the glowing gem around her neck, the pale, white skin untouched by time. The armor itself was embroidered with the head of a wolf, elegantly crafted and frozen in time. From her waist hung a thin sword, the hilt coated in ice, along with an elegant dagger, equally frozen to her. Lisa looked up and plunged the dagger into her chest.